CHAPTER XV

THREE LITTLE KITTENS

“THREE little kittens sitting in a row, All on a dolly’s lap, Tit, tat, toe!”

sang Sewing Bird when Mary Frances came for the next lesson.

“Three in a row on a dolly’s lap?” said Mary Frances. “Not my dolly’s, I guess―she couldn’t hold three.”

Then sang Sewing Bird:

“Come riddle me this, Come riddle me that,― Your dolly can hold A cat, and a cat, and a cat!”

“Why, how? oh, Magic and Mystery!” cried Mary Frances eagerly.

Then came Fairy Lady.

“This way,” she smiled; “come, Pen Cil,” and with a bound Pen Cil began to draw on the dolly’s apron the picture of kittens given on this page.

(Any little girl can transfer this pattern to her own dolly’s apron by using a carbon sheet.)

“Oh, how cute!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “Yes, I think my dolly could hold three of those cats.”

Fairy Lady smilingly continued, “Now, with the red working cotton and a canvas piece you may learn

23.―KENSINGTON OUTLINE STITCH

(Canvas 7 in. by 1-1/2 in.)

1. Begin at the left hand end of a piece of canvas. Put needle in from under side. Pull thread through.

2. Two threads over, put needle in downward and up through the hole next to the left, holding work over forefinger of left hand. Pull through.

3. Work from you, and always drop the thread on the same side of the needle.

“Now, try it on muslin. You’ll need an embroidery needle, because the large eye makes way for the heavy cotton.”

“Oh, I have one here in my basket, and some quite-a-bit finer working cotton, in pink,―isn’t it pretty?”

“I―I―put it there,” began Needle Book.

“Hush!” said Fairy Lady, holding up a finger. “Now, little Miss, see if you can make that stitch on muslin.”

“Very good, indeed.”

“Mary Frances! Mary Frances! Mary Frances!” came Grandma’s voice from the hall.

With one leap, Fairy Lady changed to Sewing Bird, and all the other Thimble People, who had been standing on the sewing table, tumbled head-over-tin-cups into the sewing basket.

“Yes, Grandma,” called Mary Frances, running out.

“Why, my dear,” puffed the old lady, climbing the last of the stairs, “I am home very early, you see. There was no regular meeting to-day because almost all the members of the Ladies’ Guild went to Daisy’s wedding. I’m home for some games with my little girl.”

“Oh, Nanny-dear, will you play ‛Piddy-Pinny-Plump?’” asked Mary Frances.

“Yes, indeed, girlie,” laughed Grandma.

“Goody!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “I’ll be ready soon as ever I tidy up the sewing room.”

“I’m sorry, dear Thimble People,” she began. Then she heard the sweet bird voice of Sewing Bird, singing very softly,

“With outline stitch, So pretty and neat, Outline the kitties, From head to feet;

And have them done When next we meet, And they will look, Sweet, sweet! Sweet, sweet!”